Anyone use a bread machine to bake their own bread?

[denny272]

Wow! You ladies are a wealth of information! :yeah Thank you! :hug


jeshurun: Here I thought the whole point of bread machines was so you could throw in all sorts of healthy stuff into the dough...like carrots that have been juiced

I suppose you could put in anything you like or have a recipe for. I just like warm yummy fresh bread.

I was also thinking it may be a good idea to have a bread machine around in case bread gets either really expensive, or becomes hard to get at the grocery. I don't kneed or mix bread ingredience very well so the machine would be usefull if nothing else, just for the mixing and preparing.

We have no idea how long we will be here or what we will need to be prepared to do while we are here untill our Lord comes to call us home??

[Galoutofdixie]

I have one of the first 'Breadman" brand machines. I've had mine since '94, I think? It still works like a charm and a great recipe book comes with it for all kinds of tasty breads. Even several recipes for basic white bread, but lots of other more exotic breads. There is a great recipe in there for using leftover white rice. It's very good and makes a nice, moist white bread type loaf. I also have another bread machine cookbook that is wonderful. It's called, "Four Seasons with the Bread Machine Baker", by Elizabeth M. Harbison.

[Lynn]

Wow!
I was also thinking it may be a good idea to have a bread machine around in case bread gets either really expensive, or becomes hard to get at the grocery. I don't kneed or mix bread ingredients very well so the machine would be useful if nothing else, just for the mixing and preparing. . .

You may decide to get a bread machine instead of a Kitchen Aid. The bread machines I've purchased in the past (either for myself or family) are less expensive than the K. Aid stand mixer, but the mixer is wonderful for other things, too, like making cakes. I used a bread machine for years, and occasionally did what one of the other posters mentioned: let the bread machine knead the bread, and then let it rise at room temp, then bake in a regular oven. Bread that rises the old-fashioned way is best. The down side to bread machines is that they bake only -one- loaf of bread at a time. Most other recipes for bread will make two (or even three) loaves. When deciding whether or not to buy a bread machine (or a Kitchen Aid), there are lots of factors to consider.

[pistis]

Since I'm an occasional breadmaker, I use my Kitchen Aid mixer for making bread.

Someone wanted to give me their breadmaker once, but since I'd heard that most people gain 10 pounds when they start using it, I decided not to accept the offer!

I usually make the dough hook knead the bread, and let the dough rise in the microwave, shaping and baking the loaf doesn't bother me, sort of fun to do that part, and I have some great recipes.

[Lynn]

I usually make the dough hook knead the bread, and let the dough rise in the microwave, What?! shaping and baking the loaf doesn't bother me, sort of fun to do that part, and I have some great recipes.

Would you mind posting again to give instructions about letting bread dough rise in the microwave? I've never heard of doing this before. I agree with you about the Kitchen Aid. I just wish I'd bought mine ten years ago. It's a life saver, and I use it for so many things.

[Mopsie]

I used to use a bread machine but my mom has been kind enough to give me her recipe for hand made bread and buns. I like both. My family however, seems to love the "by scratch" ones. :)

[Mopsie]

Since I'm an occasional breadmaker, I use my Kitchen Aid mixer for making bread.

Someone wanted to give me their breadmaker once, but since I'd heard that most people gain 10 pounds when they start using it, I decided not to accept the offer!

I usually make the dough hook knead the bread, and let the dough rise in the microwave, shaping and baking the loaf doesn't bother me, sort of fun to do that part, and I have some great recipes.

Woah. I agree, do share if you don't mind about raising the dough in the microwave. I've not tried the dough hook to knead the bread either. I will have to try that!

[Sealed]

I have a bread machine, but I make my dough in my kitchen aid mixer and then bake in my oven. I don't like the shape of the loaves from the bread machine. I prefer the look of bread baked in a traditional loaf pan.

I guess if I didn't have the time to babysit the dough through the rising periods, then I would use my machine. But, I spend alot of time at home so it is possible for me to do this. And, I enjoy it.

As far as expense? I am going to have to bake alot of bread to pay for the grain mill that I just bought!!

[pistis]

Lynn and Mopsie, regarding letting the dough rise in the microwave, I meant I use it as a constant temperature, draft free environment to let the dough rise in.

Here's what I do; I turn out the dough from the mixer to a bowl with a little oil in the bottom, flip the dough over so it's well greased with the oil (so it doesn't get a skin on it when it rises), cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel, slide it in the microwave and close the door. I don't turn the microwave on or anything, I might leave the door a little ajar so that the inside light goes on if I think the bread needs a higher temp to rise in, but the nuker never gets to nuke it! I don't have a pilot light in my oven and it's kind of cold down there sometimes, so I feel the microwave is a little better place to park the dough in for an hour or so. :thumb

Where do you park your dough to let it rise? :)

[icebear]

good idea to use the micro like that, a little dough-cubator....:heh


i zap a rice bag for a few seconds and stick the bowl with the oiled dough on it, sometimes if its too chilly in the house.



keeps it cozy :)